Full-time: Barcelona 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen

Well, it’s hard to say Barcelona deserved it, but they were at their best when the circumstances called for it. One must also look back at Roger Schmidt’s curious 54th-minute substitution of Chicharito, who had done so much to disrupt and unsettle a Barcelona back four that looked, well, disrupted and unsettled pretty much until he came off.

GOAL! Barcelona 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen (Sergi Roberto, 80 min)

Another build-up for Barca up the left side comes into bloom when Sergi Roberto plays to Jordi Alba, who plays into Munir in the center of the area. His initial shot is saved, but Sergi following his run pushes it into the goal for the equalizer.

54 min: First substitution of the game: Stefan Kiessling on for Hernandez. A bit of a curious move here by Roger Schmidt. Yes, Chicharito missed that chance badly moments ago, but he’s offered so much pace and given Barca’s back four such trouble.

52 min: Neymar with a bad giveaway on the attack, but Leverkusen give it right back and Sandro finds himself with the ball, options around him and loads of space on the edge of the area. Opts to fire away at the far post and sends it wide. Barca still 1-0 down but playing more off the front foot in the early stages of the second half.

50 min: A massive opportunity for Bayer: Kampl up the right flank to Bellarabi, whose gorgeous pass to Hernandez – surely a second goal! – sails high into the night over the crossbar. Just an awful, ghastly miss.

Half-time: Barcelona 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen

Frankly, it could have been even worse for the hosts, who were disorganized in the back uncharacteristically inert in the midfield and received little help from the three-man front of Sandro, Suarez and Neymar. Bayer answered the bell, full stop. Another 45 minutes to play but no question the German side are deserved leaders at the break.